Agra - Mumbai - Goa

---

We left Bikaner at 4am for a local bus to Agra. It took 14 hours with barely a stop. When we got off to go a toilet the bus started to leave and we had to jump back on a moving bus making it just in time. When we arrived in Agra we met Moushmi and was introduced to her whole family. We were then introduced to Poona and her family who we were staying with for the week. The first couple of days in Agra we visited the sites with Moushmi. We visited Agra Fort which had beautiful views of Taj Mahal and Akbars Mauosleum at Sikandra. We went shopping with Moushmi for clothes and bangles and the shoe shops were crazy as they would throw shoes from the ceiling. We visited the local temple where they placed paint on our head and gave us a flower.

Of couse no visit to Agra would be complete without seeing Taj Mahal, built out of love in 1653 by Emperor Shah Jahan for his second wife who died giving birth to their 14th child it was truely beautiful. One of the new wonders of the world, it is not to be missed.

The wedding had many cerimonies one of which was the heena function. It is tradition for the bride to be covered on her arms and legs up to her knees and elbows with intricate designs. The brides family and friends also take part having heena but only on their hands and feet. We also took part and had heena on our hands and had to be very still whilst we watched the prayer ceremony. We waited an hour for it to dry and then scraped it off and applied vicks. It is said the darker it goes the more you are loved. That afternoon we played with the kids who we were staying with and we were dressed by Poona in Salwar Kameez which is trousers, top and a scarf. Our hair was done and we all wore bindis. At the celebration that night everyone was shocked to see us wearing indian clothes. There was a live band and a lady singing and everyone got up to dance in the middle of the room. Money was waved around everyones head for goodluck and there was plenty of food to go around. That night we ate a vegetable lattice/pancake and it was the hottest thing we have eaten in the whole of India. We felt like our eyeballs were going to pop out our heads.

The following day was Lucy's Birthday and the day of the wedding. There was nothing much to do in the day and had to wait for the evening ceremony. We were dressed up in sarees, wore bangles, anklets and again they did our hair and make-up and gave us jewellery to match our outfits. Everyone helped and they were all really excited. We arrived at the hotel just in time to watch Jay arrive on a horse. The ceremony begun and the first part was photos with family and friends. Moushmi looked really beautiful wearing a traditional indian wedding dress, it looked very delicate and with it she wore traditional jewellery. Friends and family lifted them both up and they each placed a ring of flowers around each others necks. The ceremony then moved to a small area where everyone could sit and watch if they wanted to. We could not understand everything that was going on but it was interesting to watch as they took their steps to marriage. The food at the wedding was lovely and they even had Galub Jamon for Sam D. The end of the ceremony came and the bride and grooms family sat down for dinner and we left.

The following day was Moushmi's brothers wedding but it was not until the evening so Poona's sister took us around and showed us off to all her friends. We tried some different Agra sweets and sat in the street to drink a coke and everyone stared at us!!! That evening we were invited to Moushmi's brothers wedding so this time we got to see it from the grooms side of things. Her brother rode a horse and we joint his family and friends and danced in the street. We reached the temple where the ceromony took place. We watched part of the ceremony and then left and returned later to the house. At the house we ate, watched a live band and their neice dreesed up as a god and came out sitting on a man dressed as a lion. We also got to try an Agra speciality, hot milk served in clay pots.

The next day we left Agra for Mumbai and it was really sad to leave. We felt like part of the family and they said a prayer to wish us safe travels. Our bad adventure on the Indian railway was about to begin. We were taken to the station by a member of the family who spoke little english. He was running around and we didnt know what was going on. The train arrived and we were told to get on. As we did so people were so impatient they were pushing us and throwing luggage on our heads!!! We asked someone where our seats were as our ticket said WL 7 8 9 ard were told that WL meant waiting list and we had no seats!!! We did not know what to do until someone helped us and explained we had to go see the conductor and he would sort it out. We finally found him and thankfully he had some empty seats, they were not sleepers like we had paid for but we were told we should not have got on the train so we were lucky to get anything! We did not care we just wanted to sit down and get to Mumbai. We didn't catch much sleep on the train because people kept talking to us. When we did reach Mumbai we did not know what stop to get off at, people tried to help us and someone took us to buy a ticket for a local train. The trains were packed as we arrived in rush hour and the ones that had been going past had people hanging out of the doors. They out us in a women carriage as they said it would be safer for us but it was so busy. Everyone kept telling us to move further in but there was no where to go, and put your lugguage up top but they were to heavy and it was too busy for us to do so. It was hot and so busy and Sam J felt sick. As the train emptied people gave up their seat for us so we were not so much in the way. When we got off the train we tried to get a taxi but no - one wanted to take us to where we wanted to go. We found a taxi to take us but after ages in the car he could not find the hotel. We kept trying to tell him the way but he would not listen to us he just asked other people and stood there looking lost. We finally arrived at the hotel and were shocked by the price but because Mumbai is expensive we did not really have a choice, when we got to the room however it was worth it. Whilst in Mumbai we visited Gateway of India which unfortunately was under construction and went shopping down Causeway road where Sam D went a bit mad on shoe buying. Whilst shopping we met a guy David from Manchester who we took under our wing and helped him settle into travelling life. Whilst there we found a restaurant where we had beef for the first time in 1 month and the best selection of chocolate cakes!!

We left Mumbai by bus for North Goa and decided to stay in the area of Calungute because it had been recommended. Whilst in Calungute we relaxed, sunbathed and swam in the waves. On our first night there we found a small english restaurant which do our delight sold a sunday roast dinner it was absolutely yummy. The following day we caught a local bus to Panjim which is a samll portuguese town, we went on a small walking tour visiting the local sights. We then caught another local bus to Old Goa, here there were lots of churches and convents which we saw on another walking tour. The area was very tranquil and beautiful. In Calungute we decided to go out for the night only to find it was really quiet and ended up in a beach side bar with the locals.

We left North Goa to see what the South of Goa had to offer and decided to stay on the beach in Pololem. The journey there was an adventure. We had to catch 3 local buses everytime Dave had to lift our backpacks on the roof. Thank god he was there!! Pololem had a very hippy vibe, it is beautiful and has amazing sunsets. Whilst we were there we relaxed on the beach, rode the waves in the sea and went shopping with Dave to help him buy some new tops. The following day Dave and Sam J hired a scooter for the day to visit the surrounding villages and beaches whilst Lucy and Sam D relaxed at the beach. That evening we left on a night bus to Hampi.

---

Comments

[Lee J]

Taj Mahal
"...his second wife who died giving birth to her 14th child" -I'm not surprised! The poor woman was obviously shattered! lol That pic of the road in Mumbai is wicked by the way - just the kind of bustling street you'd imagine Michael Palin reporting from!